Ezio Auditore: Life of an Assassin
by EagleStrike1
Summary: In a strange twist of events, the Apple Of Eden transports Ezio Auditore to revolutionary America. Here he encounters Connor, a fierce native assassin. Along with Connor is a team of Italian assassins led by Stefan Auditore, a descendant of Ezio's. Ezio must help the assassins fight off a mysterious enemy that wants to tamper with nature itself.
1. Chapter 1

Ezio Auditore sat down on the perch. The view of Rome at dawn was simply mersmerizing from the top of the Colloseum. It was these tiny moments of peace that he truly sought. His duties towards the Order kept him busy day and night. An eagle soared by, looking for prey. Ezio watched the eagle circle around for a while, his mind travelling to different directions. For some reason, this calmed him. He sat there for almost an hour, basking in the morning sun. Hundreds of feet below him he could see civilians walk about their business. His efforts against the Borgia had been successful. Rome was under the peaceful guidance of Della Rovere, Pope Pius III. His recruits were currently spread all around Rome, gathering information on remaining Borgia supporters, driving out Templars as best as they could. Ezio unhooked a pouch in his belt. He unwrapped it and gazed at the apple. The apple pulsed and vibrated in his hand. Suddenly, it created a massive pulse of energy. Shocked, Ezio lost his balance and slid off the perch. It had happened so fast that he could not manage to grab hold again. He fell as if in slow motion.

_Not like this. After all he had accomplished, Ezio Auditore, the legendary Master Assassin was about to die by falling. _He could not think of a more ridiculous reason to die. The apple slid from his hand just as Ezio closed his eyes, bracing for impact. Only he landed on water, water! He swam up to the surface, in a daze and looked around him. He wasn't in the Colloseum anymore, hell, he wasn't even in Rome. As he swam to the surface, he saw that he had fallen into a river. The river was flowing through a jungle. No way was he in Rome, the Tiber river in Rome was populated by harbors on both sides. This river was wide and crystal clear. The woods were green and dense. The sun was just rising and the water sparkled. _Where the hell was he? _Ezio looked around for the apple, he dived back into the river and scoured the bushes growing around the river bank. Panic was slowly settling in. Just then Ezio heard a rustle behind him. He whirled around with inhuman speed, flicking his wrist, the hidden blade sliding out of the bracer. Only years of assassin training and honed instincts allowed Ezio to register the arrow that flew toward him. He sidestepped and caught the arrow with his other arm. He saw the man who had fired the arrow. He was perched on a branch of a tree some 20 foot away, another arrow already nocked in his bow, his arm hanging in midair with indecision. Ezio seathed the hidden blade and with practiced ease, he locked the pistol on the bowman. Just then, Ezio heard the thundering of hooves. He looked sideways to see around 20 men, wearing red garbs, mounted on horses and riding towards him.

He quickly turned around to check on the bowman only to find out that he was no longer there. Confused, Ezio turned to the horsemen. They were carrying long spear like weapons on their backs. Before he could react, the men came to a halt. One of the man called out to him in an English accent,

" You there! Have you seen a suspicious man pass by around here? He is wearing a white hood and carries a bow with him."

"Not that I know of, no." Ezio replied. He wanted to find this hooded bowmen himself. He wanted to talk to this skilled person himself, for it had been a long time since anyone had managed to sneak up on Ezio like that.

"Alright then. Keep your eyes open. We received word that an assassin was spotted in these areas." Another man replied.

Ezio composed himself and nodded. The men gave his clothes one last look and turned around, riding back the way they came. _An Assassin? _Ezio thought to himself._ But that was impossible. Why would any of his recruits fire at him? _He looked around his surroundings, a sense of unease creeping up on him. He decided to find an inn. Perhaps he would find some answers there. Also, he realized that he was very hungry. He came upon an inn called "The one eyed fish". On the Board were the words:

FINEST ALE IN ALL OF LEXINGTON. ESTABLISHED IN 1763 AD.

_Merda_ thought Ezio.


	2. Chapter 2

Connor rode across the frontier in a haste. His mind was reeling from what he had seen. He had started out that morning by accepting a bounty. The man he was looking for was a cattle thief, murderer and a coach robber, a man named Tom Smith. Tom Smith was a common name. It was used by men escaping the army or their countries. They would adopt a simple name and disappear in the frontier, unfortunately, they could not find work and thus resorted to robbery. Connor had approached a small camp, deserted camp. A small fire was crackling merrily and a rabbit was being cooked on the fire. However, there was no sign of the people who had started the fire. He crouched low on a bush and waited. After what seemed like eternity, 3 men arrived at the camp. They carried a sack each and dumped them beside the fire. They were wearing wolf pelt and carried savage looking daggers on their belts. They spoke in low voices and Connor strained to hear what they were saying.

"How was the haul today morning?" One of the man asked.

"Not bad. A coach was passing by the bridge and around 25 redcoats were escorting it. Tom here called out for help from down the river and drew most of the men away. I don't know what he said to them, but they were looking scared when they came back. They put 5 men on guard and detached from the detail. Started riding down the river again. What was it you really said Tom? I've been meaning to ask you."

Tom grinned and replied," I said I'd spotted an assassin by the river banks. You know how much they want this guy caught. I heard that a bounty has been setup for whoever catches this assassin, alive or dead."

Connor allowed himself a rare grin. The irony of the moment was too perfect. He waited in the bush for a few more minutes, hoping to catch more snippets of the conversation. He was so engrossed in his eavesdropping that he did not see or hear a snake that was slithering in the bush towards him. Only his lightning quick reflexes allowed him to spring out of the snake's range as it tried to bite him. The men in the wolf pelts looked up, suddenly aware of the stranger in their midst. Perhaps it was the hood he was wearing or the bow he had drawn in panic, the men recognized him. His Bounty Tom cried out,

"ASSASSIN! GUARDS! THE ASSASSIN IS HE-"His words were cut short as an arrow embedded in his throat. Blood gurgled as he tried hopelessly to pull the arrow out. The other men ran into the woods, taking up the cries of "ASSASSIN!" Connor started to work quickly. He carried the body of Tom Smith, whom he recognized from the bounty posters. He tied the corpse to a horse he had hired and had tied some distance away from the camp. Just as he was about to mount his horse, shots rang out in the dense woods and several balls of bullet hit his horse. The animal neighed loudly and tried to run. It stumbled and landed with a heavy crash and remained immobile. Connor whipped out his own pistol and turned around to face his attackers. It was the redcoats Tom must have been talking about. There were 20 of them, he counted quickly. _Too many to take on alone. _He turned around and ran into the woods. The redcoats gave chase. Connor took to the trees, jumping from branch to branch, landing lightly, hoping to avoid rotten branches that might give away at sudden landings or cause leaves to fall and leave a trail for the redcoats. For several minutes to leaped tree to tree, the voices of his chasers fading quickly as he reached the river bank. Finding a sturdy branch, Connor pulled a smaller branch and used it leaves as cover against the small road that the redcoats were probably using. He nocked an arrow on his bow and waited for his chasers.

Out of nowhere, there was a bright flash of light. Connor turned to the river, and his mouth fell open in disbelief. There, in the sky above the river, was a hole. Out of the hole, fell a man. The man landed on the water and swam back to the surface with relative ease. He caught his breath on the bank. Connor noticed his clothes, they were strange. Most of all, it was the wolf pelt attached to his clothes that drew Connor's attention. The man looked around the river bushes, dived in. He was searching for something. _He must be one of those bandits_. _Maybe if I can knock him out, I can carry him to a deserted place and ask him how he had appeared out of seemingly nowhere_. Connor moved steadily to the trip of the branch and caused it to sway. A ripe mango fell from the tree and landed on the bushes below. The strange man whirled around at the sound just as Connor let the arrow loose. It flew toward him. The man flicked his wrist mid-turn and out of his wrist slid out a hidden blade. A hidden blade! He sidestepped and caught his arrow in mid-air. Astonished and in disbelief, Connor nocked another arrow but could not release the arrow. _Who was this man? How could he be in possession of a hidden blade? Was he an assassin? A Templar perhaps? _ Indecision dazed him just as the man raised his left arm and aimed towards him. _Why was he aiming at him with an empty hand? _

Just then, he heard hooves. _The redcoats! _Connor seathed his bow and jumped off to another branch. The redcoats would not give up the chase. He had better get back to Achilles. This man could not be an assassin. There had been no news of assassins arriving from the brotherhoods around the world. He must be a Templar, he concluded. His own father Haytham had acquired a set of hidden blades from an assassin several years before his birth. _Had the Templars managed to clone the signature blades of the Assassin? _Connor hurried across the woods and once again, reached the stables he had hired his poor horse from earlier. He paid the stable master handsomely for the fallen beast and hired a new one. He saddled the horse and rode at top speed. Heading to his homestead.


	3. Chapter 3

Ezio's mind reeled with what had just happened. An hour ago he had been in Rome, enjoying the sunrise from the top of the Colosseum. Now, he was in a strange land called Lexington and in the year 1768. His hunger was so great it stumped his shock and he entered the inn. The inn was cosy on the inside. A beautiful young woman was tending to the customers, flashing grins to the hypnotized customers, their eyes following her as she walked about. The young girl came up to him and led him to a table. Ezio sat down and ordered rabbit stew.

She was a good cook, Ezio concluded as he gulped down the delicious stew, the thick soup burning his insides but bringing relief to his growling stomach at the same time. His hunger was so great he had seconds and washed it down with a glass of ale. Just then, another problem started to arise. Ezio had only _ducats_ with him. He did not know the currency that was used in this land. Carefully, Ezio shifted his chair closer to another table where 4 men were seated, playing cards. With practiced hands, Ezio used a small throwing knife to cut the purse of the man closest to his chair. Warily, Ezio paid the beautiful innkeeper his due. The girl flashed his robes a strange look as she gave him back some change. Another thought struck his mind just then.

"Signora! Have you seen a hooded man pass by around here? He is carrying a bow with him. I believe he was wearing white robes." Ezio asked.

The beautiful girl puzzled over his accent, looked at him again carefully and then eyed the weapons he was carrying, the Sword of Altair, which he had recovered from the ruins of Monteriggioni, the Dagger of Brutus, the compact crossbow Leonardo had designed for him and the throwing knives attached to his belt. Lastly, she looked at the hood. The girl paused with indecision, but she must have been intimidated with his appearance. She finally spoke,

"A man did pass by through here. He was wearing a white hood and carried a bow. He was looking for a bounty. He asked questions about a man called Tom Smith. I told him I knew a lot of Tom Smiths out here, god knows there must be a million men who call themselves that. Still, the man was very specific, said the man had a scar on his face and carried a knife on his belt. I told him that I didn't know a man like that and he left. I swear that is all I told him." The young girl finished with a pleading look in her eyes.

Ezio smiled at her reassuringly. He thanked her for the information and was about to leave when she called out,

"Wait! He also asked me to direct him to a stable close by, I told him to find old Mr. Rafferty by the church, he has a stable there and rents horses to travelers. Maybe you should pay him a visit."

Ezio thanked the beautiful girl and left. Outside the inn, he made a mental note to ask the girl her name the next time he came here. He disappeared into the crowd just as a cry of "MY MONEY!" rang from inside the inn.

Mr. Rafferty was an old man. His hair was gray and there were lines all across his face. He wore a hat and spoke in a loud voice. Ezio carefully asked him questions about the hooded man. He acted as if he was a courier who was delivering a bounty letter to the hooded man. The old stable master provided him with the information he was looking for enthusiastically. He added,

"Now you ride straight to Davenport. Connor is on his way already. God bless that man! He has been collecting bounty for a while now. With all the men he captures, my life has been so much easier. My horses are no longer stolen and supplies arrive on time, without hindrance. Here! You can borrow this horse, she's swift as the wind and very strong. Tell you what, pay me for the horse later, just get the bounty letter to Connor."

Ezio thanked the stable master gratefully and rode posthaste to the place called Davenport. _Connor. So that was the name of the hooded man._ Ezio asked a passersby outside the borders of Lexington the direction to Davenport. This Connor was a dangerous man and by the look of it, an Assassin. Ezio would find out for sure who this man was. If he was truly an assassin, he would seek help with his fellow brother. And if not, well, Ezio hadn't decided yet.

He rode on for a couple hours. He broke camp in the afternoon and rested by a small pond close to a river. He killed a boar with his crossbow and put it on a stick above a fire he lit. The boar was delicious, although it might have been because of his hunger. At morning, Ezio wrapped the leftover meat in a banyan leaf and stowed it in a saddlebag of his horse. Once again he rode towards Davenport. Around mid-day, Ezio came across a ruined bridge. It was established beside a waterfall. It creaked under the weight of the horse. He decided to take the horse across the bridge slowly. It was a steep fall. Under the bridge, water foamed.

Gunshot exploded out of nowhere. The horse neighed loudly and broke into a run, thundering across the ruined bridge. As the bridge swayed side to side, Ezio held on to a stout beam that protruded out of the rotten sidebar. He looked around to see several men dressed in wolf pelts, some wielding savage looking daggers, some wielding swords and two of them carrying the long spear-like weapons he had seen the day before. They were all on horses, their steeds buckled and thrust under them, unwilling to step on the bridge. These men reminded Ezio of the Followers of Romulus, violent fanatics who had operated back in Rome under the command of Cesare Borgia. However these men wore the wolf skin in an almost robe like fashion, unlike the followers who wrapped it on their bodies and impersonated wolves. A man lifted the strange weapon and gunfire exploded. Ezio felt the heat of the bullet sear past his ear, missing it by inches. _So this was a modern gun!_ Ezio himself had his smaller, more accurate pistol attached to the left bracer. The men were reloading their guns already. He would surely be shot if he stayed on the unstable bridge. Ezio tried to run to the other side, but he could see the ropes across the bridge were already snapping. With no choice left, Ezio ran towards his attackers, the adrenaline of battle rushing inside his body, years of practiced free-running helping him run lightly on the bridge. He counted 11 men. The men climbed down their horses and readied their weapons. The scared horses took off the way they had come the instant their riders climbed down.

Ezio pounced on the first man with the grace of a panther, his hidden blade puncturing through the man's neck. He did not stop to see the man die, instead he rolled over and decapitated the leg of another man. He fell, screaming in agony and Ezio used his hidden blade once again to finish him off. The men had numbers, 9 of them. But the speed and skill of Ezio paralyzed them. They stood still in indecision, but slowly recovered themselves. A braver one of his attackers came at him, his sword held in his left arm, Ezio sidestepped and tripped the man. The man fell on his own sword and it protruded through his stomach. 8 left. The gunmen stepped backwards, readying their firearms. Ezio dodged a recklessly thrust dagger and used his latest attacker as a shield just as the gunmen opened fire. One of the bullets hit Ezio's meat shield while the other bullet hit a tree several foot behind them. Ezio threw his body shield aside as he writhed in agony. Ezio readied his own pistol and fired at one of the gunmen. The bullet hit him in the chest. The mere impact lifted the gunman on his feet and he landed several feet backward, immobile. What little courage the men had, wavered when they saw Ezio firing a bullet seemingly out of his hand. Quickly he reloaded and fired again, this time his bullet penetrating the skull of a man who came at him with a sword. Ezio unseathed his own sword, ready for his attackers, who were now quaking with fear. They came at him at once, Ezio parried two blows and thrust his sword at the belly of the nearest man. He fell on his knees, clutching his wound, trying desperately to stop the blood from leaking out of his stomach. Only 4 men were left now. The gunman tried to reload nervously, his hand fumbling over a pouch of gunpowder. Ezio moved towards him. A long sword- like blade was attached to the gun that Ezio hadn't noticed before. The gunman thrust at him and Ezio avoided the blade narrowly. He took a step back and locked the hilt of his sword with the blade attached to the gun. Once again, Ezio flexed his arm and used the hidden blade to dispatch the gunman. Ezio turned around to see two of the remaining three fleeing. He made short work of the lone attacker, who was wielding a dagger that was held at the wrong angle. Ezio ran after the deserters. If they had a camp, they might alert more of their friends, whoever they were. The men had taken to the thick woods that stood on either sides of the road. Ezio ran after them but the ground was slippery and he stumbled quite often. Tired and exhausted Ezio simply used his crossbow. The bolt hit a man in the leg and he fell, screaming with pain. His friend came to a stop, reaching out to help his friend. Ezio ran faster and the unwounded thug deserted his friend and tried to run. Only to be struck by an arrow in the heart. Ezio came to a stop and was instantly on the alert. One of his attackers remained, clutching his leg and cursing his luck. Ezio ignored him and surveyed the forest. From the top of a tree leaped the hooded man Ezio had seen before. Ezio tried to dodge but the man landed on top of him. Ezio was pinned to the ground, a hidden blade pressed to his neck.

"Hello Connor!" Ezio said.

Connor looked puzzled.

"Who the hell are you?" Connor asked.

"We work in the dark, to serve the light." Ezio replied.

Connor seathed his hidden blade and stood up warily. Then he extended his arm to his fallen brother.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi Guys! Sorry about the delay in this update. I've been trying to think of a new arc for the story and just came up with one. I hope you guys like it. BTW the underlines represent the change of POV between Ezio and Connor. Anyways, thanks for the positive reviews. Cheers!**

"What's your name?"

Ezio paused for a moment. He was not going to reveal his true identity to a stranger who might or might not be an assassin.

"Antonio." He replied.

* * *

"So you are a member of the brotherhood?" Connor asked uncertainly, mentally cursing himself for mentioning the Brotherhood to a stranger.

"No. I just happen to know the Creed of a secret organization without being a member." Antonio replied, his lip twitching.

Connor looked at him in confusion, uncertainty etched in his face. Antonio looked at Connor with a look that said '_Seriously?'_ Connor simply gave a nervous chuckle. Antonio rolled his eyes and replied,

"Si. I am a Master Assassin from the Italian Brotherhood. I am here on a special mission assigned to me by my Mentor."

"I see. You really surprised me with your….uhh…. entrance back in Lexington. How-how did you get there again? The flash of light was kind of surreal if you ask me."

* * *

Connor's words sent chills down to Ezio's body. _So he had seen Ezio as he fell into the river. _Ezio could not play dumb now. But he could not bring himself to tell the truth either since the truth sounded utterly ridiculous. Thoughts whirled inside his head but no matter how hard he tried, Ezio could not think of a lie that sounded convincing enough. Connor couldn't be trusted, especially because Ezio did not know him and he doubted Connor had a warm and welcoming personality.

Ezio could not see himself lying his way out of this. That left him with only one choice, escape. With lightning speed, Ezio drew his crossbow and aimed it at Connor. As it turns out, Connor was no sloth either, he had drawn a pistol on him. The two men remained still, their weapons aimed at each other. Just then a shot rang out and Connor's pistol flew in the air. Ezio backed out on pure reflex and turned to look around for the shooter. He saw no one.

* * *

Meanwhile, Connor had recovered from his initial shock and now unseathed his tomahawk. He lunged at Antonio. Antonio dodged his attack and took a shot from his crossbow. Connor ducked down as the bolt flew inches above him. Antonio used this momentary delay to sling the crossbow to his back and draw out his sword. It was a beautiful sword, Connor thought as he stood up, flexing the tomahawk. The sword was smooth and sharp, its handle shaped like an eagle. Connor fought Antonio with all his skill and strength. Antonio would have defeated Connor in a swordfight for sure. But Connor's precision with the tomahawk was unrivaled. Sparks flew in the midday sun as the two men's blades clashed in quick and furious strikes. Another shot exploded in the air and the bullet hit Antonio's armor. The armor must have been powerfully built since the shot sparked off Antonio, merely making him stumble in the ground. He almost lost his footing but remained standing. Connor exchanged a quick glance with Antonio. The two men reached an unspoken understanding and seathed their weapons. Together, they ran through the woods and away from the unknown shooter. They reached the road as one more shot rang out, but this one came from the road itself. They came to a stop as they saw several redcoats on horses, their gun trained towards the two hooded men.

These were the same soldiers that had followed Connor from Lexington. Only there were more soldiers this time, 40 of them in fact. The captain looked at the two men with a broad grin.

"Raise your arms in the air. NOW!" He cried, spit flying from his mouth.

Connor raised his arms, knowing that if he tried to fight he would be shot down instantly. Antonio raised his arms slowly and came to stop as his arms were straight to his face. He trained his left arm on the captain and in a quick motion, used his right arm to pull a trigger in his bracer that Connor had never seen before. The bullet hit the captain's horse in the head and the horse fell clumsily, scattering the other horses to all directions. The redcoats tried desperately to calm their respective horses. Connor used this distraction to run into the woods opposite the ones he had just been in. Antonio followed suit and the two men ran towards the edge of the cliff. Below, Connor could hear the raging river. If he stayed here, the redcoats would kill him for sure. _This is becoming a routine_ Connor mused and jumped right at the edge, his arms extending to opposite sides. His body flew for a second and then fell gracefully towards the river in a perfect dive.

* * *

50 foot above, Ezio came to a stop at the edge. He had just seen Connor perform a perfect Leap of Faith into the river below. If this wasn't proof enough of Connor's assassin skills, nothing was. The guards were getting closer towards the edge. With no choice in sight, Ezio performed a Leap of Faith into the river as well.

The guards came to a stop as they reached the edge. They looked around the water for a while, attempting to spot either of the men. When they failed to see either of the men, they wheeled around and returned the way they came. Their captain was dead and the two Assassins had leaped to death on those dangerous waters, they concluded. Strapping the body of their dead captain on a horse, the men returned back, headed once again to Lexington.

Barely 5 feet away, hidden in a bush was Stefan Auditore.

_Finally, Ezio Auditore had arrived. _Stefan looked at the Apple of Eden in his hand. As it glowed and pulsed, he wondered about the secrets it held. Minerva's warning rang clear in his head. Ezio Auditore had no idea what was coming next. Then again, neither did Connor.


	5. Chapter 5

Hi guys! This chapter is more or less a filler. I promise big things are coming from next chapter!

* * *

Connor tried to fight the raging river as it carried him for what seemed like hours. His body was exhausted from his repeated attempts to avoid sharp rocks and on one occasion, a waterfall. The river was mostly home to salmons and water snakes. The snakes were mostly non-poisonous, but Connor didn't want to tempt fate. He had been lucky with the leap into the river. As he had surfaced, he had seen Antonio jump into the river as well, a flawlessly executed leap of faith. Connor was convinced Antonio was an assassin, or at least had assassin training. He just wasn't sure where his loyalties lay. After learning about the betrayal of Shay Cormac from Achilles, he had been particularly wary of Antonio. _If his name was Antonio _Connor thought as he held on to a piece of wood drifting in the river. Using his legs as paddle, Connor guided his body towards the river bank. He collapsed on the warm sand and steadied his breath, letting his clothes dry. He got up slowly and tried to figure out where he was. The homestead wasn't far now.

Achilles was perched on a comfy chair outside the mansion. He was smoking a pipe and watching a pair of raccoons fight. Connor walked up to the threshold and sat down on a chair beside Achilles. For a long time neither men spoke. Finally, as the raccoons decided to wrap up their quarrel, Achilles set the pipe down and pulled out a parchment from his pocket. He smoothed it out carefully and handed it to Connor. Silently, Connor read the words scribbled across the faded parchment.

_This letter is to destroyed as soon as it is read by the intended recipient. _

_Signor Davenport,_

_While we have not had the opportunity of a face-to-face interview, I believe you and I are quite familiar with each other's work. Suffice in knowing that I am Il Mentore. I understand the risk of sending such a letter without encryption, but the circumstances have demanded it. I have entrusted this letter with a trusted pupil of mine. He will prove his identity with a medallion familiar to our order. _

_While exploring a pre-cursor site, we stumbled upon a special relic. It warned us of a strange incident that will take place in the colonies. The matter is of delicate nature which is why I will not write about it here. My pupil will explain it to you soon enough. I only request you to provide him and his team appropriate lodgings during the continuity of his mission. If possible, I request you to provide him assistance with your own pupil. _

_I am terribly sorry for this confusing letter. _

_Safety and peace be upon you._

Connor re-read it and tore it to tiny bits. The letter was from the Mentor of the Italian Brotherhood.

"When did you get this letter? And who gave it to you?" Connor asked.

"A carriage arrived here in the morning. A team of four assassins greeted me. They gave me this letter and showed a medallion belonging to the Italian Brotherhood. It's authentic." Achilles replied.

"And where are the assassins now?"

Achilles got up and clutching his pipe, went inside. There was luggage strewn all across the floor. A man was cleaning various blades and pistols on the Oak table. He looked up at Connor and nodded. Connor nodded back.

"This here is Frederico Salvadore. He will be staying here along with rest of the team until this mission is completed." Achilles said with an edge in his voice. He didn't like strangers. Even though these were fellow assassins, Achilles enjoyed solitude. Connor shared at least that aspect of privacy with the old man.

"Si. It's an honor to meet you Messer Connor. We have heard a lot about you in Italy. I hope I'll get to see you in action in the coming days." Frederico replied in a thick Italian accent.

Connor offered a rare smile. The gesture felt odd because of his grim mannered personality.

"Where are the rest of our brothers?" Connor asked looking around the house.

Achilles chuckled at that and answered,

"They were rather eager to help. So I sent them to collect some firewood from the valley. They'll be back soon enough. A Master Assassin named Stefan went to find you. I directed him towards you. I'm surprised you didn't come across him on your way here."

Connor thought back to the unknown shooter in the woods. The shot seemed precise. Perhaps he had had a run in with the Assassin already.

"I might've already. Never mind that now. What of this mission?"

"I'm afraid that'll have to wait. Master confided the details only to Stefan. You will have to wait until he gets back." Frederico replied.

Connor nodded again and retired to his little room. He was exhausted from his journey. He pulled up a hot bath and changed into plain, clean clothes. Something strange was going on. He would find out the answer soon enough. With that thought in mind, Connor went to sleep as the afternoon sun settled.


	6. Chapter 6

Connor grunted with effort as he lifted the axe and drove it down through the chunk of wood. The other assassins had taken to rebuilding the mansion with enthusiasm. Meanwhile Stefan hadn't returned to the homestead since he went to find Connor over a week ago. Anxiety and irritation was building up inside Connor steadily as he tried to be patient. The Italian Assassins were good guests. They mostly walked about the house, minding their own business. They used exaggerated courtesies when addressing anyone. They thanked Achilles gracefully for the food he served them. They joined hands and said a prayer before every meal. While these gestures would have delighted an innkeeper, it annoyed Achilles. Connor could see him rolling his eyes whenever the assassins weren't looking.

That afternoon, as Connor helped the assassins Fabio and Luigi carve out a new front door, he heard the thundering of hooves. Tossing their tools the assassins ran to the front door. A tall young man with dark hair stepped off a beautiful horse. He was wearing an unfamiliar assassin robe. His hood was pulled down. Connor noticed the rugged features of the young man as he patted the horse and turned around, grinning broadly. He walked over to Connor and extended his hand as he spoke.

"Messer Connor! I am Stefan Auditore. I believe you are already familiar with my colleagues Frederico, Fabio and Luigi. Before you speak, I must apologize for my delay. My horse got stolen and I had to travel to a town called Lexington before I could find another horse. On top of that, rain brought on a flood and some of the rivers were impossible to pass."

"It's quite alright. I was about to set out to find you if you hadn't returned by tomorrow." Connor replied warily shaking his hand.

They went inside the mansion. Luigi set about to make a delicious Italian dish called Pizza. Connor had taken a liking to Pizza. Achilles came downstairs as Luigi prepared the dough. Stefan changed into regular clothes that Connor provided him with. After they had all ate and had a cup of ale each, they moved into the living room and sat on the comfy sofas. As rain poured outside, Stefan launched into the details of his mission.

"Before I begin, I assume you are aware of the Pieces of Eden?" Stefan asked looking around.

Connor and Achilles nodded gravely. The other assassins sat up straighter as this might have been the first time they were hearing properly about the ancient artifacts.

"Good. As you know, the Pieces of Eden have been sought after by our order as well as by the enemy for several centuries. They have strange and mystical powers that we still don't understand fully. We are however aware that it is a tool of mass destruction and is capable of controlling men's minds. Altair's codex mentions the Apple as a tool of unlimited power and ripe with knowledge that we can barely comprehend. My mentor and I have for years, attempted to locate one. Four months ago, we got wind of a possible Piece of Eden hidden in Italy. After extensive research we located an Apple inside an ancient vault in Venezia."

There were collective gasps from the Italian assassins. Achilles looked thrilled and grave at the same time. Connor remained impassive. Stefan continued,

"As my mentor removed the Apple from its pedestal, a strange form appeared in front of us. It looked human in shape. As it clarified and came into focus, it turned out to be a woman. She had a very pale complexion and wore even stranger clothes that seem to shimmer. She introduced herself as Minerva, the goddess Minerva! She looked as if she were on a trance. We asked her many questions but she seemed oblivious to us. Finally, she greeted us by our names! She said, and I'm quoting her exact words since an encounter like that has stuck to my memory:

_Welcome! I am Minerva. You, who they call Marcus Juventus, Mentor of the Brotherhood and your protégé Stefan Auditore. Your arrival was foretold, and it is in good time that you have chosen to arrive. Your enemies move against you, using a piece of information both valuable and dangerous. You must travel to the Colonies, the land we called The High Garden, the land you call America. There you must find the prophet. He will apparate out of seemingly thin air, surrounded in light. Enlist his aid in your mission. Your enemies will attempt to stop you at all costs. They will strike you where you feel safest, drive you out of your own homes and tempt you to flee. They plan to use two Pieces of Eden, to what means I cannot tell you. Revealing too much would imbalance the state of things. And we have already learnt the danger of tampering with fate. I must go now, the message has been passed and I hope you utilize it as best as you can. Good luck Assassins. A lot depends upon you now. _

And just like that, Minerva disappeared." Stefan said the last line in a grave voice.

Connor had had an experience like that. Before he had set out to train with Achilles, he had seen a prophecy of his own life. He had witnessed the ghost of the Goddess Juno. He didn't know what else to call her apparition other than a ghost. Achilles nodded gravely and suddenly looked very old. The Italian assassins looked surprised and skeptical at the same time, a part of them might have wondered if this was a cruel joke being played on them.

"I know this sounds impossible, quite ridiculous too. But I swear it's true. I wish I had the Apple with me, then I could perhaps show you its magic." Stefan said noticing the puzzled look on his fellow Assassin's faces.

"The Apple is with our Mentor." Stefan added.

A long silence followed as they tried to understand the gravity of the situation. Finally, Achilles cleared his throat and said,

"I believe you. I have had some experience with the Pieces of Eden myself."

Stefan nodded at him. Connor offered Stefan a tight smile that told him he believed him. Slowly the Italian Assassins nodded at him. They might not understand the situation, but they trusted Stefan.

"Minerva's warning sounds grave. If we are to stop the Templars, we must find this man called The Prophet. Any ideas what '_Apparate out of thin air' _means?" Achilles asked.

"Yeah. That's exactly what it means. I saw a man appear out of thin air in a flash of light in Lexington. He landed on the river. I tried to shoot him but he dodged. Some guards were chasing me so I left then. We crossed paths again near the broken bridge. I pinned him to the ground and he said the motto of our order. I thought he was an assassin. He introduced himself as Antonio, said he was an Italian assassin. I asked him how he had created that flash of light. He tried to attack me then and we fought again, until a shooter started firing at us. We ran across the trees and encountered redcoats that had been chasing me in Lexington. He shot one with some kind of pistol mounted in his arm. With no other escape route left, we jumped into the. I haven't seen him since." Connor finished.

Achilles and the other assassins gawked at him. Stefan coughed uncomfortably and replied,

"Actually, I was the shooter in the woods. Sorry for my shot, I almost got you, I was aiming for the other man, the Prophet apparently. I tried to find you near the road but all I saw were the red coats. I tried to follow them but my horse got stolen just then. That's when the flood started and I couldn't cross the bridge. So, I traveled to Lexington and reached there yesterday evening."

"Minerva warned that the Templars would strike us where we feel safest. Drive us out of our homes. So can we assume this place isn't safe?" Luigi asked.

Connor got up and replied,

"We don't know how literal Minerva's words are. That doesn't mean we can take chances. Frederico and Fabio. I want you to find a vantage point near the hill west of here and scout the area. If you see so much as a hint of suspicious activity, light this firework. Luigi and I will ride out to the little village near the river and ask the fishermen if they have seen any troops pass by around here. Stefan, I want you to help Achilles pack all necessities and load them on _The Aquila_. Tell Faulkner to sail for Boston. We have a safe house there. After Achilles has boarded, return to Frederico and Fabio. Luigi and I will meet you atop the hill. From there we will ride out of here and attempt to track down the Prophet. It doesn't matter if we find him or not, we need to deal with the Templars first. Go on, now!"

At once the other assassins stood up, gathering their weapons. Achilles smiled at Connor proudly and went upstairs to pack his essentials. Connor headed towards the door and Luigi followed. Just then a shot rang out. Connor dived back just as a cannonball collided with the front door. The door exploded to pieces and Luigi crouched to avoid bits of shrapnel. More shots rang out as cannonballs ripped through the windows. The other assassin had picked up all their weapons and essential documents. Achilles came downstairs faster than Connor thought he could move. He opened the back door and called out to the other assassins. They followed suit. There were gunmen covering the back door. Luckily they weren't very good marksman. The assassins fired back and within a few shots, all the Templar gunmen were dead. Crouching low, the Assassins ran across the dense woods as the cannon fire diverted towards them. Tree trunks exploded and fell as the assassins dodged and dived through them. One of the assassins was helping Achilles make his way through the chaos. The other settlers were already fleeing through the rivers, Connor noticed. They had brought down the bridge they crossed through. _Smart people. _

The Templars had lost the assassins in the woods. The assassins used this opportunity to make their way towards _The Aquila. _She was already returning fire towards the Templar Cannons. Connor marveled at the long range of the mortars he had installed only a few months ago. After boarding Achilles and some documents aboard, she set sail immediately. Connor could hear Faulkner's voice booming through the river as he ordered the crew to set the sails loose. With no time to lose, Connor and the rest of the assassins made their way back to the mansion where the Templars were looking for the assassins who had fled. Crouched in the bushes, they watched the Templars organize various troops to search for the assassins. The house was on the verge of collapsing. A single pillar held the threshold. The senior Templars, perched on their horses ordered the lower ranking troops to inspect the house. With no other choice, the lower troops moved towards the house warily. They crossed the threshold lightly and went inside to inspect the rooms.

"That house is coming down soon." Connor remarked.

"I'm sorry." Stefan replied.

Connor scoffed and said,

"It's not your fault. We couldn't have anticipated this so soon. All I meant was if the house is coming down, it might as well take some Templars with it."

With that Connor crawled out of the bushes. He checked his pack and took out a small bomb. Lighting it, Connor flung it towards the house. It landed in a dull sound. One of troops inside the house came outside to check the sound. He noticed the bomb too late. It exploded just as he opened his mouth. The bomb crumbled the threshold and flung the body of the lone redcoat across the ground. Connor could hear the screams of the troops inside as the house crumbled and crushed them underneath it. The remaining Templar redcoats stumbled back. A few of them even turned around to see the bomber. They saw no one.

As the assassins raced across the frontier, Connor was silent. He rode ahead of the other assassins. That house had been a home for him for years. Something tore apart in his heart. For the first time in 7 years, Connor felt tears streaking down his face. The Templars had intended to scare away the assassins by this attack, but it had only made Connor's resolve stronger. He would hunt down every last one of those dogs and kill them. As he approached the edge of Davenport, Connor slowed his horse. Trotting lightly he guided his horse towards a large tree. Digging into a pack strapped on his horse, he fished out a Tomahawk. He struck it on the tree trunk. Connor had declared war.


	7. Chapter 7

Hi guys! Sorry about this chapter, it's not even a filler. I just wanted to bring Ezio back to speed on everything. I'll post the new chapter within a day or two. And you can see Ezio and Connor team up to kick some Templar ass. Cheers!

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After his leap into the river, he had swum to the river bank. He had to follow Connor. Only an assassin could help Ezio understand the predicament he was in. Sadly, Ezio couldnot find him. He settled in tailing a young assassin, who in turn was tailing the soldiers back to Lexington. Patiently, Ezio watched the young assassin. He would disappear for hours but he always came back to an inn. After five agonizing days, the lone assassin back the way he had come. The assassin entered the mansion. He did not dare go near the house in case there might be sentries guarding it. He scouted the house for hours until he decided it was safe to approach.

Ezio was about to head over to the mansion when he spotted soldiers moving towards the house. There were over three dozen soldiers. Some of them broke off and made their way towards a small clearing some 50 foot behind the house. Several carts rolled up and Ezio watched in disbelief as the soldiers unloaded parts of cannons and started assembling them. He had to warn the Assassins! Unfortunately his way was blocked by reinforcements arriving on horse backs. Ezio carefully made his way towards the dock below. Perhaps he could fire a couple shots from the ship _Aquila _that was docked there and warn the assassins. His plan might have worked, unfortunately the assault began before he could climb aboard the ship. Crew members came running out of a small cabin. Quickly, they loaded shots and fired at the cannons. Ezio waited behind some bushes. Connor arrived at the docks and helped an old man board the ship. He bid farewell to him and the ship sailed away. Connor had a team of assassins following him. The assassins stealthily crept through the bushes and came behind the attackers. Ezio now saw the senior soldiers were sporting Templar badges. _Bastardi! _

Ezio had lost Connor's trail once. He wasn't about to let it happen again. They would surely flee Davenport. Ezio did not wait to see what would happen next. He raced to the edge of Davenport and waited atop a horse for the assassins. He had attempted to lie and it had backfired on him. When he saw the Assassins again, he would tell them the truth.

Soon enough, he heard the sounds of racing horses. They slowed down as they approached a huge tree. Connor guided his horse towards the tree and buried a hatchet onto it. _What was that about? _Ezio trotted his horse out of the bushes and confronted the assassins. They all came to a halt. Ezio opened his mouth to re-introduce himself when Connor called out aloud.

"We know you are the Prophet. I don't know your story, but a prophecy has been made regarding you. We can get to know each other later. Right now there might be Templar scouts headed this way. Let's ride now and talk later."

Ezio simply nodded and rode alongside Connor.


	8. Chapter 8

The assassins settled on a small safehouse outside of Boston. Ezio had been dreading explaining his story to the assassins. But Stefan's story had certainly set the bar for shock high. Ezio explained the events that had transpired after the Apple's burst of energy. The assassins listened to his story in silence. They never doubted him. More shocking was the fact the Stefan was an Auditore. Ezio had wanted to learn more about his lineage, but he knew better than to tamper with things he did not understand. So it was decided that the assassins would not dwell further on the Auditore lineage. Besides, they had a different goal. The Templars were widely spread across the frontier. Minerva's warning wasn't much, but the Assassins knew the Templars needed two Pieces of Eden for whatever they were planning.

One of the Pieces of Eden was lost in Lexington when Ezio fell on the river. Stefan and Connor travelled back to the town. They visited the site where Connor had seen Ezio fall into the river and scoured the river for hours. The two men labored to no avail. As the day drew to a close, the assassins decided to stop their search and continue the next day farther down the river. As they travelled back to the small camp they had made, the two men talked about their cultures. Stefan seemed fascinated by the fact that Connor's clan lived deep in the woods in small huts. Connor would have been offended but he knew Stefan was simply curious.

"How is your English so good?" Connor asked him.

"Italy is full of pilgrims from around the world. Our business often requires us to consult with English dignitaries, smugglers and spies. All assassins are taught to speak, read and understand English from a young age. It's been so for quite a while. I believe Mentor Ezio practiced the same tradition in his time." Stefan replied.

"Seems strange doesn't it? We are talking about a man we met a couple days ago even though he died centuries ago. It seems so surreal." Connor voiced his thoughts.

"Indeed it is. Mentor Ezio is revered among the Assassins even today. His work against the Borgia is legendary. But the Apple is a mysterious thing, we can never truly understand it. So maybe this is something we just go along with." Stefan replied after some thought.

"Maybe."

Meanwhile, Luigi and Fabio had taken Ezio around Boston. They weren't particularly familiar with the city, but they were not surprised with the technological advancements that Ezio saw. Ezio bought some new weapons. Two pistols, plenty of powder and ammo. He also bought some new clothes. His Roman armor made him stick out of the crowd. They visited the markets and gawked at the sites. As evening approached, the Assassins made their way back to the hideout. A small boy was waiting near the door, looking as if he were just gazing around the street. In truth he was an informant for the assassins. He ran upto the assassins and handed them a note discreetly before disappearing into an alley. The assassins entered the hideout and settled around the table. Connor and Stefan joined them soon enough. Ezio handed the note to Connor. Stefan tilted the chair towards Connor and read it eagerly.

"So the Templars are preparing themselves for an expedition. " Stefan remarked.

"They're looking for whatever it is they need to set their plans in motion. It'll probably have something to do with Precursor technology. I'm sure of it." Connor said as he tore the piece of paper.

The others nodded in agreement.

Stefan slowly stood up from his chair and addressed his men.

"The Templars are heading to Alaska tomorrow morning. Luigi, go alert Captain Faulkner. Tell him we all sail first thing in the morning. Tell him to stock the ship well. We will need plenty of shots, ammo and food. That land is a jackpot for black market trading. The seas will be filled with pirates and privateers. We need to be ready."

Luigi nodded and headed outside. Stefan assigned Fabio to collect all the assassin's weapons and polish, clean and re-sharpen them. Stefan himself set about to pack his belongings. He had brought several maps that would finally prove useful. Ezio too started packing some clothes he had bought that day. Frederico too fumbled around the house, making sure nothing was left behind. Connor thought of the oncoming journey. He was rather eager to start. The Templars had burned down the homestead and he wanted to exact revenge by destroying their schemes.

The assassins slept soundly. At the break of dawn, they woke up and loaded their packs into a cart. They followed the cart to the docks towards _The Aquila._ Faulkner was yelling at the men as he set about to make last minute arrangements.

"Ah! Captain Connor. Welcome. The ship we meant to follow took off around an hour ago. _The Aquila _is ready to set sail. Say the words and we will be off." Faulkner shouted jovially.

"Good. Let's go." Connor replied.

"Hoist the sails lads! Hoist the sails." Faulkner shouted. He had been cooped up in the homestead for a while now. An adventure to Alaska was what he needed.

The assassins settled themselves in the cabins below. They stood on the deck looking around at the open sea. They could all feel it. The excitement of a coming battle.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! So this is the third-last chapter of this story. I'm gonna conclude it in the next two chapters. Hope you guys enjoy it. Please leave reviews. Cheers!**

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For two months _The Aquila _sailed from port to port. Making brief stops to load up on provisions and make repairs from the few battles with pirate ships. Ezio wasn't much used to ships. He had sailed from Forli to Venice. This was a very long journey compared to which his earlier travels seemed minor. The ship was always well equipped and Connor was a capable captain. They had managed to avoid several pirate vessels. The few they had had run ins with had been blown apart by the sheer firepower of _The Aquila_. These seas were rampant with pirates and privateers. On top of that there were violent storms that often blew the ship off course. Luckily, the ship had managed to stay afloat. Whenever the ship was docked at a port, the assassins set about to inquire about the Templar ship which was called _The Tempest_. They had managed to stay on track of the Templar ship for almost two months. And now they were nearing the end of their journey.

After two months and seven days, _The Aquila _sighted the land of Alaska. When Connor guided the ship through a cove, they were ambushed by a pirate ship. As the _Aquila_ rained shots on the ship, the assassins jumped aboard it and made short work of the pirates.

"Quite a welcome." Stefan remarked. The crew simply laughed.

But the battle with the pirates had done some damage to the ship. One of the mast was swaying and the hull had some holes on it. Also some of the sails had taken fire damage. The ship made slow progress to a dock near a small settlement. The repairs would take at least a couple days. The Templars already had a 3 day lead on them. Connor instructed Faulkner to complete the repairs and head to a rendezvous point the assassins had agreed upon.

The assassins bade farewell to the crew as they stowed their belongings on a carriage. Stefan had brought from Italy, several maps from an ancient assassin vault. The map clearly indicated a precursor site beneath a mountain. The assassins had lost trail of the Templars and had no other lead than the precursor site. If the Templars were planning to use a Piece of Eden, they would use it on a pre-cursor site.

The mountain they sought was a six day ride from the small settlement. Calling the journey eventful was an understatement. On the second day, they were ambushed by bandits. The assassins sprang into action immediately. The battle was short and brutal. The bandits had set up barricades on the road so that the carriage would not flee. The carriage rider was killed by a misfired arrow. Besides that, the assassins were quite fine. Unbuckling the two horses that pulled the carriage, they rode in turns. The ones on foot took the higher ground, calling out suspicious activities and possible ambushes. The horse men made the strong horses carry the few provisions the assassins had brought after ditching the rest inside the cart.

On the fourth day, a pack of wolves started to follow the assassins. As evening approached, the wolves started howling and snarling, taking risky steps towards the wary assassins. Finally, Connor and Luigi decided to take care of the problem. Creating a ring of gunpowder, they set it on fire and started firing towards the wolves. They fell one by one. All shots finding their targets. As the howling and cries of the wounded wolves receded, dawn came. A few miles from their camp was a small village. The assassins bought two strong horses there and hired a sledge and a rider. Fabio and Ezio travelled on the sledge as Stefan, Luigi, Connor and Frederico followed on horseback.

On the sixth night, a heavy storm slowed the assassins. They had to make camp and could not start until late morning the next day. Around midday, the assassins reached the mountain that hid the pre-cursor site. After packing and checking their respective weapons, they started to ascend the mountain. The sled owner was paid a handsome sum. He made his way back, dogs howling in the cold weather. The horses were a big problem. The assassins planned to approach the mountain in stealth. The Templars had hired dozens of mercenaries and taken their own men with them. They were well-equipped and had the number. The snow-storm provided the assassins with the cover they needed. The mountain wasn't very tall. After a 3 hour long trek, they reached the top of the mountain. There weren't any sign of the Templars. They had checked all along the climb but had seen no camp.

Ezio voiced this problem.

"What now? We have reached the summit and yet there are no signs of the Templars. We didn't climb the wrong mountain did we?"

"Of course not! The map clearly marked the mountain with two waterfalls that met to form a river. We can even hear one of the waterfalls from here. Listen!" Stefan urged.

The group fell silent. They could hear the gurgling of water somewhere below them. Luigi walked up to the edge of the summit and looked below.

"I can see both the waterfalls from here. But no sign of an entrance or a pre-cursor site." He called out.

The other assassins joined him at the edge. Ezio had had experience with pre-cursor sites. So he was the one who spoke.

"The temple will be hidden from plain sight. It's up to us to find it."

They fell silent again. As they looked on below, Connor noticed something.

"There! Look, right beside the river, a few paces away. There's a camp!"

The others saw it too and started talking in excitement. Pretty soon they spotted more camps. They were covered in snow. That's how the assassins hadn't spotted them. The storm had limited their vision during the climb. From atop, they could see the camps since the mountain blocked most of the storm.

"Look! That must be the entrance to the temple. Plenty of men guarding it." Stefan remarked, looking through his spyglass, pointing the location with it.

He continued,

"Fabio and Frederico. Climb back down and go around the way we came. Take some climbing tools and make your way down to that forest near the camp. I want you to spy on the camp and make notes of guard shifts and patrol routes. Luigi, go with Connor. You are both adept at a stealthy approach. Take that makeshift road besides the camp and enter the temple. The Templars must be inside, putting their schemes to work, no doubt. Find out what they are planning and meet with Fabio and Frederico inside the woods. Mentor Ezio and I will head downwards as well. We will fire some shots in range of the camp and draw away some scouts and troops. Once that is done, we will meet you at the woods. Night will have fallen by then. We will enter the temple under the cover of darkness. Hopefully we will have minimal resistance. Then we can stop the Templars. Sound good?"

The other assassins nodded. Ezio was having some trouble with modern firearms. Perhaps some shooting would help him improve. The plan was solid as well. Fabio and Frederico hastily ate some rabbit stew they had brought along and made their way to the woods. They were capable climbers. Stefan wasn't worried. Connor and Luigi changed their outfits. Put on rubber soled boots to minimize noise and strapped their weapons closely so that they would not hit the ground and make noise. Hooded and armed, they too left. Stefan and Ezio sat at the edge talking about small details. They were both avoiding the subject of their lineage. After an hour or so, they too made their way to a cliff directly above the camp. The sound of the waterfall was deafening. It would provide them an excellent opportunity to use their guns without being heard. But that was not the objective. Stefan taught Ezio once again, the method of loading a gun and using its crosshairs.

With deadly precision, they fired plenty of shots. They were careful to shoot armed men in plain sight. The mercenaries ran towards cover. Ezio and Stefan both picked off 3 men each on the first wave. They tossed off the used guns and switched to new ones. 4 more men died under Stefan's shot while 2 fell under Ezio's. The mercenaries had spotted them. They were returning fire too. But the assassins had higher ground and the shots aimed at them usually ricocheted off beneath the cliff. The overseers were now assigning Templar guards to horses. The plan had worked. Most of the scouts and riflemen were taking a route towards them on horseback.

"What do we do now?" Ezio asked.

"The scouts will think we headed to the opposite direction of the camp. Naturally, we go towards it. Problem is how to get there." Stefan replied.

"That's easy."Ezio replied, gesturing towards the cliff.

Stefan grinned and ran to the edge. His body froze in mid-air for a microsecond, arms and legs spread gracefully, and plummeted below towards the waterfall's end. Ezio took a deep breath and ran towards the edge. The exhilaration of the Leap of Faith overwhelmed him, filling his body with energy and joy as he dived into the small pond below.

Now for the second part of Stefan's plan.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi everyone! This is the second-last chapter of this story. I hope you like it. I've got big things in store for the final chapter. So bear with me! xD**

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Ezio and Stefan met with the others in the woods. Their plan had worked beautifully. The majority of the mercenaries had been drawn away from the gun shots. Fabio and Frederico had managed to map out the patrol routes and guard postings. They had even made a roughly accurate map of the small camp. There were around 30 tents. The majority were for Templar soldiers and mercenaries. Some were for miners that had been digging near the entrance of the pre-cursor site. To what purpose, they didn't know. There were also some horses and elks tied near a makeshift stable. The horses avoided the elks.

The camp was located on a cliff. The entrance to the precursor site was hidden cleverly along the snowcapped mountain. It was visible only from a specific angle. From anywhere else, it looked like a wall of snow. A forest covered one side of the cliff and a river flowed on the other side. The cliff was steep and a makeshift road descended downwards, alongside the forest. The assassins were waiting for Connor and Luigi to return. Ezio and Stefan took turns looking at the map Frederico and Fabio had made. They both memorized the map as well as they could. Connor and Luigi returned a while later.

"What took you so long?"Ezio asked as Connor approached with a frown on his face.

"We were hiding behind a boulder when a Templar scholar decided to study the markings on the wall above us. He had a bunch of soldiers hold up torches while he studied the wall. There were too many men to engage directly. And the boulder wasn't large enough to hide us from the light of the torch if we moved." Connor replied grumpily.

Luigi made an angry noise behind them.

Stefan chuckled a little and asked,

"So what have you learned?"

It was Luigi who replied.

"The Templars are planning to use some sort of ancient machinery that lies inside the temple. Apparently they need a Piece of Eden to start it and another Piece to make it work. They have employed some miners to carve a way through the temple right to that cliff. They plan to move the machine right to the edge of the cliff to start whatever they are planning."

"So they have TWO pieces of Eden?"Ezio asked in an incredulous voice.

"It would seem so." Connor replied.

Ezio replied impatiently.

"Then we must make haste. I have seen firsthand what a Piece of Eden is capable of. Two pieces of Eden in Templar hands, fueling a machine of ancient making is definitely not good. Do you know how many men there are inside the temple entrance?"

"Around 3 dozen." Connor replied, checking his bow and pistols.

Ezio was about to say something but Stefan interrupted him.

"Mentor Ezio, I admire your strategic skills. But you are a stranger to modern guns. Let us plan the course of assault. We have more experience in that area."

A confused look passed over Ezio but he waved it off and nodded. Ezio was a skilled assassin. But he wasn't over-confident. He knew Stefan was making a fair point.

Stefan gave Ezio a thankful look and continued.

"Luigi. You and Connor have been inside the temple already. Lead the way. We will follow you from behind. Take out as many soldiers as you can without raising an alarm. If we are spotted, we will fight through the battlements. Ezio, you are incredible with a sword. You and I will engage the swordsmen. Frederico and Luigi are good shots. I want you two to provide us with ranged attacks. Take out the gunmen first. Connor, I want you and Fabio to take out the melee attackers. And everyone, please don't hurt the workers unless absolutely necessary. They are just working for the Templars for money. Now let's go before the moon comes out of the cloud again!"

The assassins moved towards the temple like ghosts. They stuck to covers and their dark clothes helped mask themselves in shadows. They killed the guards stationed at the entrance. Sticking to the shadows, they made their way towards the temple. There were miners all along the path. Luckily, most of them were too focused on digging through the temple's floor, not its side. The few that were obstacles were taken care of by Ezio's poison darts. He had replaced the poison with sleep darts. He thanked Leonardo's flexible designs mentally.

The assassins were very close to the main entrance when they heard loud voices. They ducked behind covers as the voices came nearer and nearer. Two well-dressed men were arguing. One of them was fat and short. The other was tall and crooked. The taller man was also significantly younger than the fat one.

The fat man spoke.

"Listen now Master Rogers. This machine is incredibly powerful. If those manuscripts are correct, it can manipulate nature itself. Call me old-fashioned but I don't think we should turn it on. To harness such power is dangerous. Greater Templars have gone insane with powers like these. Surely you remember the dark age of the Templars when the Borgias took over. Rodrigo's obsession with the Pieces of Eden destroyed the Templar order. The assassin Ezio Auditore took down the entire Italian branch later on. And if that weren't enough-"

As the other assassins peered at Ezio with triumphant grins, the taller man interrupted the fat one.

"Before you go on Master Davy, I am beginning to wonder whose side you are on. It sounds like you don't want the Templar order to gain this incredible weapon. Do you have any idea what this weapon can do?"

Master Davy glared at Master Rogers before replying with an edge to his voice.

"I have devoted my life to the Templar cause. I have more experience with these pre-cursor machines than you do. And unlike you, I'm not an arrogant prick who harbors an illusion that power like this can be harnessed and used without repercussions."

Master Rogers moved fast. He was crooked but still taller and younger. He punched Master Davy in the face. The fat man stumbled and tripped over a rock. He fell down heavily. He got up clumsily and his hand clutched the hilt of the sword. But he didn't pull out his sword. A storm of emotions passed his face. He stared daggers at Master Rogers but didn't attack.

Master Rogers smiled a cold smile and said,

"That's right. Very smart decision Master Davy. The Grand Master assigned ME to head this mission. You are here by my grace. Speak to me like that again and I won't be merciful."

With that Master Rogers made his way outside. The bodies that were dead or unconscious had been disposed discreetly. They wouldn't be spotted unless someone went looking for dead or unconscious bodies. Master Rogers would not be aware of missing workers and soldiers, the assassins hoped. Meanwhile Master Davy returned the way he came.

Stefan made a quick assessment and assigned Fabio and Luigi and Frederico to tail Master Rogers. He, Connor and Ezio would go further inside. The two groups parted way and went further.

The inner temple was quite empty. Only Templar soldiers and scholars were inside. The mystical light illuminated everything in a peculiar manner. The light pulsed and dimmed in irregular patterns. Connor and Stefan stayed behind as Ezio sneaked through the vast temple, headed towards Master Davy. He dispatched two guards with his hidden blade. The sound of the bodies falling alerted Master Davy, who was only a few feet ahead, studying something on a makeshift table. He turned around clumsily. Ezio's assassin instincts kicked in as he closed the gap between them with inhuman speed. He buried the blade in Master Davy's sternum. He gasped and sputtered as blood flowed from his chest. He fell backwards. Ezio knew he only had few moments before Master Davy's life left him.

He quickly knelt on the floor and whispered to the dying man,

"Tell me what you are planning. It sounds like you don't want this machine to be used. Tell me what you know and I will make sure the machine is never turned on."

Master Davy replied in a raspy voice.

"I'm sorry. I was blind. I believed this mission to be noble for so long. I actually convinced myself that we would benefit from it. Master Davy has an Apple of Eden. He plans to harness lightning from it. He has been dismantling the precursor device for the past days. All parts of the weapon has been moved to a camp discreetly. He plans to reassemble it near the edge of the cliff. The lightning trapped in the Apple will then be redirected to the weapon. A second apple will placed in the machine itself. And-"

He dissolved into a fit of cough and died. Ezio gently lowered him. He closed his eyes and gave him his last words.

"Don't fear the reaper. Embrace the release it brings."

Ezio made his way back to Connor and Stefan. Not recognizing Ezio, Stefan drew his gun but Connor quickly made him lower it.

"Sorry. I didn't recognize you." Stefan replied sheepishly.

"Never mind that now. This was a setup. Rogers must have known we were coming. He has already dismantled the weapon and moved its parts to a camp outside. All these miners were a setup. He's probably assembling the weapon already. Quick let's go outside!"

The assassins hurried outside, dispatching the guards along the way. At the entrance was a sight that made their blood run cold. Fabio, Frederico and Luigi were on the floor, their bodies sporting gunshot wounds. They were dead.

Templar gunmen were pointing their guns at the remaining assassins. Fury built inside Ezio like a wildfire. He drew his pistol and sword. Gun pointed at the Templars. So did Connor and Stefan.

Rogers glanced at the assassins with amusement in his eyes. Ezio felt sick.

"Now now. Let's not do anything stupid, assassins. You are outnumbered and outgunned. You open fire and you will be riddled with holes like your friends here."

Rogers called out mockingly, safely shielded by guards.

A shot rang out and Ezio felt a searing pain in his back. He looked sideways and saw a sword sticking out of Connor's chest. Ezio heard Stefan chuckle from behind as pain swept his body. Connor dropped to his knees, blood pouring out of his chest. Stefan twisted the sword and Connor's body writhed and collapsed on the floor. He was dead.

Ezio stumbled around and faced Stefan.

"What have you done?" Ezio asked in a strangled voice.

"What I came here to do. Sorry 'Mentor' but I'm no assassin. And it seems, neither are you. Or you would have sensed this with me. "

And then Stefan reached into his pack. He took out a ball of yarn and unraveled it. Glowing in his hand was a Piece of Eden! Stefan grinned manically and continued,

"Thanks a lot by the way, I was worried the Templars wouldn't have a Piece of Eden. It's a good thing you brought one along with you. I left your Piece of Eden near the river bank for them to find."

Ezio drew a pistol behind his back but Stefan used the apple against him. Under the Apple's control, Ezio dropped the pistol. Stefan used the Apple again and chaos ensued behind Ezio as the Templars started killing themselves under the Apple's effect. In less than fifteen seconds they were all dead.

"You used us." Ezio said to Stefan.

"I did. And I used the Templars as well. Without them, it would have taken me months to transport that weapon. A lot of work if you ask me." Stefan replied.

"So what do you plan to do now?" Ezio asked, his voice full of hatred.

Stefan drew another pistol and answered,

"A lot of things Ezio. Too bad you won't be alive to see them."

And then he shot Ezio in the chest. Ezio fell backwards as pain overwhelmed him. Stefan shot him again in the chest and Ezio's consciousness faded away. Darkness surrounded his vision. Ezio Auditore breathed no more. He was dead.

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**I know. I know. But don't worry. There's one more chapter left. I promise everything will be revealed then. And yes. All the assassins are actually dead. For now!? I promise i'll post the final chapter within a day or two. **


	11. Chapter 11

Hey guys. I'm back with the last chapter. Before we start, shout out to Wanderlust sk who has translated this story to Italian. If you want to check out this story in Italian, here you go: . ?sid=3195248&amp;i=1. Anyways! I'm so sorry this chapter has taken so long. I promised to publish it in a day or two but I couldn't find the time to write this, stupid classes kept me super busy. Hope you like it. Please leave reviews and your thoughts on improvements I could make in the future. And also thanks for following and favoriting this story. So here you go. The final chapter XD

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Ezio's eyes flew open. His vision swam for a moment. He closed his eyes shut and opened it again slowly. He was no longer in the Temple entrance. Where was he? The room was surrounded in a strange pulsing light. This reminded him of the Temple underneath the Vatican. Those days seemed like years ago. He inspected his surroundings more carefully and realized where he was. He was indeed inside the Vatican vault! He tried to make sense of everything that was happening. It was just minutes ago that Stefan had shot and killed him. The thought made Ezio's insides burn with fury. As he sat there with his thoughts, Minerva appeared in the same mystical and mesmerizing way as she had done once before.

"Greetings Prophet!"

"Minerva?" Ezio said with awe, dropping into a bow

"Hush now. I cannot stay for very long. I will allow you one question and then I will talk without you interrupting. So ask."

Ezio's thought whirled as he tried to think of the most useful question. But he couldn't think clearly. So he blurted out.

"Where am I? It feels like the vault beneath the Vatican. Is that where I am?"

"Yes and no. This place is in a way, your life. Your purpose was to deliver the prophecy to Desmond. And you succeeded. Your entire life building up to that one pivotal moment when I spoke to Desmond though you. No matter your accomplishments, they will be defined and justified in this vault, the vault where mankind found salvation at the hands of a prophet who did not understand his importance. So yes Ezio, you are in the vault, and no, you are not in the vault. It is tied to your past, present and your future. I would elaborate but I have neither the time nor the luxury. Now LISTEN!"

Ezio understood somehow. He had understood his role and accepted it. Of everything that he had accomplished, passing the message had been his greatest. It had been the salvation of mankind. Ezio felt proud. He looked at Minerva and nodded.

"When the Apple pulsed and displaced your temporal standing, it transported you to a time ahead of yours. It's not a natural occurrence. It only happens when nature realizes a great danger, an imbalance in it. You must restore the balance. The man who betrayed you isn't who you think he is. He is something much more ancient and evil than you can imagine. He plans to unleash an inhuman force on your world. Naming it would disrupt the little balance that remains. Confront him. You believe you are dead, but when the apple transported you through time, I managed to imbibe in you, a spark of life from the apple itself. It is in a way, your resurrection. Confront him, Prophet. And destroy the device that can set the dangerous events into motion. Go now. Your resurrection awaits."

Minerva faded away from Ezio's vision like everything else. His head spun sharply and he stumbled around. A bright flash of light blinded his vision and Ezio woke up in his body, coughing and sputtering. He was back in the temple entrance. He looked around and saw the corpses of his fallen comrades. He stood up slowly and walked over to them. His body hurt everywhere even though his gunshot wounds had healed. One by one, he closed their eyes shut and said words of prayer for them. With a knife hidden in his belt, Ezio walked stealthily towards the edge of the cliff. He saw Stefan, his back to Ezio, working busily on the precursor device. The apple lied on a stone dais that was attached to the device itself. Another apple was already glowing inside the device, slowly revolving around the spherical top. Ezio crouched silently towards the apple and grabbed it. Stefan seemed so engrossed with his work that he did not see Ezio just a few feet across him. Ezio slowly backed away. He would take no chances this time. He would crouch back and take a shot at Stefan from a safe distance.

Unluckily, Ezio stepped on an old branch. It crackled loudly. He held his breath, pistol trained on Stefan's back. Stefan didn't hear him. He sighed in relief. Lowering his pistol, Ezio crouched further backwards.

Stefan heard a crackle behind him. He did not turn immediately. _Let him feel relieved_. That was when people let their guard down. A few seconds later, Stefan turned around with his pistol drawn. He saw a crouched shape on the ground. He didn't recognize him, but he shot him. The shot caught him in the chest and he crumpled to the floor, the Apple of Eden rolling from his hand, into the ground. Stefan walked over to him and recognized him as Ezio. _WHAT THE HELL? _He kept his cool and asked.

"Ezio? I have to say I am surprised. You are a tough old dog aren't you? I shoot you twice and it's not enough. Your wounds have healed by the way. I'm assuming you had some spark from the Apple stored inside you? There's no way you could have been able to do that. So let me guess, Minerva's work?" He picked up the Piece of Eden.

Ezio sat up slowly, his chest bleeding once again.

"How did you know?" he asked in shock.

"Because I have seen her perform this trick a hundred times over."

'You know Minerva?" Ezio asked incredulously.

"Of course. We were quite well acquainted back then." Stefan replied with a cocky grin on his mouth.

"Who are you?" Ezio asked with a shout.

"My name, dear Ezio, is Aita. I am the husband of Juno. My beloved Juno. When the Earth was close to disaster, I volunteered to try out a method of survival. A way to store our consciousness into machines, so that we could use a new body after the disaster ended, our consciousness intact. It didn't work. I suffered for long. My beautiful Juno tried everything but couldn't save me. So she did the next best thing. She killed my body and transported my consciousness into human bodies. Every century or so, the human bodies breed and crossbreed until my consciousness falls into a single body. It's a complicated process called Genetic re-alignment. It's something you won't understand Ezio, don't bother. Anyways, after 108 years, I am back in a human body. And I have a very special goal this time around. Do you know what that is?" Aita teased him.

"Betray the assassins and stab them in the back like a coward?" Ezio shot back, still clutching his wound.

Aita chuckled and replied.

"I am sorry for that by the way. I wish it could have gone differently. But the idea of Stefan Auditore worked beautifully with you. He is a real person you know. Well, was. I killed him and his mentor. Then I used the Apple he and his mentor had recovered to take on his disguise. I created an illusion of his mentor and convinced those poor recruits into taking this dangerous mission. As soon as we reached America, I set about to find you. Oh Yes Ezio! I set about to find you. The Apple showed me a vision of your displacement in this time. It must have sensed an imbalance and sent you here as a counter measure. I tried to kill you when you and Connor were fighting near Davenport. Luckily, your armor was stronger than I expected. I knew then that a second attempt at your life was dangerous. So, I decided to use you too. I have to say, I'm proud of what I have accomplished."

Ezio spat at him and replied.

"You still forgot to mention what you are planning."

Aita wiped Ezio's phlegm from his boots with a piece of cloth and replied.

"When I was dying, Juno took care of me. She even found a way for me to live through human bodies. My beautiful Juno helped me live. Now I am doing the same for her. She has travelled the world as barely a memory, fragments of her consciousness drifting apart for thousands of years. And I'm going to bring her back Ezio! This device will create an electromagnetic beacon. A beacon for her consciousness. Did you know that the spark of life lives in electricity? In the lightning you see, in your mind, your body, electric charges form impulses, ultimately creating the essence of life, the very basic ingredient of existence, lives in current. A drop of her blood Ezio! I've searched for it for so long and now I have it here. Everything is ready. My dear Juno. I will bring her back Ezio. AND WE WILL RULE THE WORLD TOGETHER!"

He screamed the last sentence in a triumphant voice. His voice was hysterical and manic. Ezio hadn't understood anything Aita said. He did not understand the words that came out of Aita's mouth. Unable to stop himself, Ezio yelled.

"You're mad!"

Aita laughed a hollow laugh and replied,

"Yes! I am."

With that, he reached into a satchel he was carrying and fished out a small glass vial. It was square and transparent. Inside was what looked like a drop of blood. Aita walked towards the machine. He put the glass vial inside the sphere. He then raised the Piece of Eden in his hand. As thunder and lightning cracked overhead, the machine began to glow with a bright light. Aita laughed again with glee and yelled.

"Behold Ezio! Juno rises again."

Ezio looked with horror and awe as a spectral being began to form near the edge of the cliff. Lightning hit the spot again and again as a body began to form, filling the spectral being with bright, warm light, a silhouette of a female body forming quite clearly.

And then Ezio heard a cold and inhuman voice yell at Aita.

"Kill the prophet. Now!"

Aita bowed and unseathed his sword. Ezio tried to get up, clutching his chest.

"You might survive bullets Ezio. But let's see you come back to life without your head."

Aita raised his sword and sliced through Ezio's head. Only the body disintegrated in a cloud of smoke and light. Confused, Aita stumbled back. He realized what was happening but it was too late.

Ezio Auditore impaled Aita's chest from behind with the Sword of Altair. Aita gasped and sputtered as pain exploded in his body. Juno screamed from behind in a metallic voice.

"How? How?" Aita asked in a strangled and bewildered voice as he fell to his knees.

Ezio faced Aita and answered.

"I learnt how to make copies of my body when I fought off Rodrigo Borgia inside the Vatican vault. I wasn't taking any chances with you. As soon as I had the Apple in my hand, I made a copy of myself. You shot my illusion as I waited behind you, eager to hear your schemes. You tricked me once, I wasn't going to let that happen again."

Aita glared at Ezio with hatred and replied.

"Finish it then."

Ezio shook his head and replied.

"You killed my brothers in front of my own eyes you bastard. Now watch while I lay waste to your plans."

With that Ezio drew out a pistol, took careful aim and shot. The bullet hit the glass vial and it shattered into tiny pieces. Immediately, the spectral being of Juno disintegrated behind Aita. The lightning subsided as well and Aita let out a yell of rage.

Ezio triggered the mechanism in his wrist and the hidden blade slid out silently.

"Requiescat in Pace"

With that Ezio punctured Aita's throat and laid him down gently on the ground. When the life was gone from him, Ezio closed his eyes.

Ezio let out a sigh of relief. Immediately, his eyes travelled to the machine, still whirring and pulsing with light. Minerva's word played again his head. _You must restore balance_.

Ezio smiled as he understood the meaning of those words. His work was not yet done.

It took almost an hour as Ezio carried the bodies of all the dead men in the temple entrance. One by one, he laid the bodies side by side. Even the bodies of the Templars. Minerva had talked about restoring balance. He would undo everything Aita had done. Restore balance. Ezio laid the body of his fallen comrades near the device and made small cuts in their flesh. As blood trickled out, Ezio caught it in mugs he had found inside a camp. He wasn't sure if it would work but he poured the drops of blood of his comrades in the sphere of the machine. He then used the Apple, pointing it skyward. Right on cue, thunder roared and lightning started flashing immediately. The lightning hit the sphere this time and a strange flashing light started spreading from the machine. A beam of energy swept through, broke into 4 tendrils and each beam struck the four dead assassins once. It was instantaneous, the assassins gasped and coughed as they all woke up from death, their wounds healing with inhuman speed. They all looked around, bewildered and shocked. Ezio's heart burst open with happiness and glee. They got up and walked over to Ezio. Connor was about to ask him something but Ezio pressed his fingers to his lips. Connor nodded and simply stood beside him. The other assassins joined him as well. Ezio spoke,

"As soon as I pour the contents of this mug into the sphere, the Templars will be brought back to life. We need to destroy the device and be gone before they make sense of what has happened. The other assassins set about. They returned soon, armed with dynamite which they strapped around the machine. Ezio poured the contents of the mug inside the sphere and raised the Apple again. The lightning hit the sphere one more time and the beam of energy broke off into tendrils and struck the body of the Templars. Quickly, the assassins ran towards the cliff's end and jumped one by one. Their bodies flew downwards gracefully into the river below. Ezio removed the Piece of Eden inside the sphere and ran. Ezio came to a stop at the edge. He shot the dynamite. The machine blew apart to pieces as the confused Templars stood up, absolutely bewildered.

Ezio leaped into the raging river below. _My work is done._ Ezio thought.

And then the Apple pulsed again. Light filled Ezio's hands. Right before he impacted with the river, he disappeared. Ezio opened his eyes. He was back in the beam, on top of the Colloseum. Ezio smiled quietly. It was as if no time had passed.

* * *

Connor and the Italian assassins arrived at New York two months later. They made their way to their hideout. Achilles was sitting on a chair, holding a small parchment that was still wrapped. He handed it to the assassins and said,

"A messenger from the Italian brotherhood delivered it 2 weeks ago. Apparently it was written almost a 150 years ago and strictly addressed to this location to be delivered 3 weeks ago. The messenger's ship arrived late due to a storm. It's addressed to the three of you."

The assassins knew who this was from. They all smiled as Connor unwrapped the parchment. Inside were the words,

**Safety and peace, brothers.**


End file.
